Sydney, Australia: We just docked in Sydney, at 7 a.m. local time. We had somewhat rough seas as we neared Sydney, as predicted. Apparently, that's usual.
The 55 day cruise we're on is actually two consecutive cruises on the same ship, and now the first of those - some 23 days San Diego to Sydney - is over. What remains is a month of sailing completely around Oz, returning to Sydney on the 22nd of November. Then we fly home on Thanksgiving Day, the 23rd.
We have a shore excursion this morning, which includes a tour of the famous opera house. It is just across the estuary from where we are moored. We understand some 600 pax are departing today, and something like that number will join us for the circumnavigation.
Australian immigration requires all pax to disembark no later than 9 a.m. to go through passport control. They also have a rule that if we return to the ship (to have lunch or whatever) we cannot go ashore again ... weird.
Later ... our shore excursion included a really good tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House, which looks like nested nuns' cowls. That zoomy landmark is 44 years old and in process of renovation, bringing the technology up-to-date.
We also visited the famous Bondi Beach, pronounced "bond-eye" in case you wondered. It is a pretty setting but less expansive than I imagined. Our guide Peter said it wasn't Sydney's best beach by any means, but it is the closest in and most famous.
Apparently 70,000 or so young people from all over the world congregate there at New Years eve, that is early summer hereabouts but early winter for most of those who are northern hemisphere residents.
Sydney has a new and nice cruise terminal which is essentially downtown, just across a narrow estuary from the opera house and the similarly iconic "Coathanger" bridge to north Sydney. This is an excellent location, so much better than most cities have.
Tomorrow is a "sea day" and the following day we're in Brisbane, where the DrsC have never visited. I hope it is as attractive as Sydney, which is darned nice indeed.
